SARAJEVO, Aug 14, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Croatian wildfires forced hundreds of people to flee from a small tourist town on the country's Adriatic coast, as firefighters battled Friday to contain the rapidly expanding blaze.

More than 150 firefighters were deployed to Lokva Rogoznica, where flames quickly swept through surrounding pine forests and vegetation, before moving into residential areas and destroying homes and vehicles, local media reported.

The fire is the latest to break out in Croatia which is experiencing a prolonged heatwave that has brought record temperatures to several towns and cities along the Adriatic coast in recent days.

At least 1,000 people displaced by the fire were moved into a local sports hall in Omis, south of Split, local officials said.

A coastal road running through Lokva Rogoznica was closed after parts of it were affected by the fire. Long queues of vehicles formed on routes heading towards Omis.

Croatian fire chief Slavko Tucakovic told state-run broadcaster HRT the situation was extremely worrying and that firefighters are expected to have a difficult night ahead.

Tucakovic called in firefighting teams from other parts of the country to reinforce crews already at the scene, according to a statement posted on the Croatian firefighting association's Facebook page.

Four Canadair water-bombing aircraft, unable to fly at night, were on standby to assist operations at dawn.

Omis deputy mayor Ivan Pivcevic told the regional Slobodna Dalmacija daily that strong winds had caused the fire to spread. Split regional governor Blazenko Boban told the state-run HINA news agency that some people had suffered burns.

Earlier on Thursday, firefighters, backed by Canadair aircraft, brought another large wildfire on the island of Brac, off the coast near Split, under control.

The fire comes as parts of Europe endures another spell of exceptionally hot weather this summer, with several countries facing elevated wildfire risks and authorities issuing heat-related warnings.